ARTIST'S IMPRESSION
Inspired by the Sea
It’s no secret that at Damen Yachting we take great pride in our Dutch heritage, our craftsmanship and the inspiration we draw from the sea. So when we came across local artist Lilith de Jonge and her ‘inspired by the sea’ approach to her paintings, there was an immediate synergy. So much so that we asked her to turn her hand to creating the cover of that year’s Finest Moments (2022).
“I live a stone’s throw from Zeeland’s coastline and spend hours soaking up the different light and colours created by the sea. Taking in those never-ending tides and the continuous movement of the water. That’s really the inspiration behind the cover piece. The endless flow which takes you wherever you want.”
Lilith de Jonge
CREATIVE CREDENTIALS
Art in one form or another has been part of Lilith’s life from an early age. From childhood hobbies to a degree in Graphic and Advertising Design, creativity has always been leading. Never more so than when a family driven decision saw Lilith move from the Netherlands to Australia.
“I am originally from Middelburg, just up the road from the Damen Yachting yard and now I live just along the coast from the yard in Dishoek. But I have spent time on more distant shores! We moved to Australia several years back and lived in Perth for 8 years. It was there that my passion for painting developed. Once we moved back to the Netherlands, I quickly saw that so much had changed in the world and business of Graphic Design due to digitisation. So we set up a studio for me at home, and I started painting. And that has gradually become a day job!”
Colour and process are the two leading elements throughout Lilith’s work. The end result is not a literal representation of reality but a story unveiling the emotion, the impression and a celebration of what she has experienced from her surroundings. An expression she hopes will evoke others to feel and see what inspires them.
“Paint something that is close to you. Paint what fills your spirit. For me it is my daily life here by the sea.”
COASTAL LIVING
For anyone in Zeeland, it’s pretty hard to ignore the influence of the sea. The 650 kilometres of coastline shape the climate, nature and wildlife as well as the lifestyle, passions and work of all those who live in this area of the Netherlands. For Lilith, it has become a true source of inspiration for her work.
“It has proven to be a wonderful place to live, surrounded by nature and in such proximity to the sea. It is the inspiration for my works of art. I walk, with my dog, through the dunes and on the beach. The colours are different every day, the feeling is different. That's what I work with. Even if I see or think something, and I intend to put it into artwork, it will never end up being the way I saw it. That is just the starting point.”
INSPIRED BY THE SEA
Whilst it is the local waters along the coast of Zeeland that form the majority of Lilith’s current colour and light inspiration, her experiences from all aspects of her life, including her global travels, still flow together in her paintings. That rich, privileged combination which has shaped who she has become, and thus shapes her work. A quality and characteristic which resonates deeply with Damen Yachting. The equivalent of enabling those finest moments.
“It's a huge compliment when my artwork triggers something in people. I don't care what that is, it's up to each individual. I love it when I hear that people get a sense of calm, a kind of home-coming. I think the earthy tones I use support that feeling. I once called one of my artworks ‘Tranquility’ and I guess that comes close to a lot of my work.”
